Deluge
by clarrie
Summary: The rain it raineth every day - sequel to Observance
1. Deluge

  
**TITLE: **Deluge  
**AUTHOR: **clarrie  
**DISCLAIMER:** Obviously don't own Giles, Wesley, Buffy and the Scooby gang. Alice Boston and others are mine, most of the info about watchers and the watchers council was made up by me and is based on my interpretation of it as an institution.  
All witchy stuff made up by me and bares little resemblance to say, Wicca or any of the other old faiths.  
Lines taken from 'Vicious' By Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground.  
**RATING: **about a 12 or PG13, some swearing and innuendo but no orgies or misuse of small furry animals   
**SPOILERS: ** mild up to mid season 3, but as if faith and the mayor had not existed and Anya and Xander had got together earlier. Does include Wesley character though.   
At the time of story Oz had ginger hair.  


  
**'And I will be wearing taffeta as chenille does not suit my complexion.'   
Giles. 'The prom'  
**

  
_The sun beat down upon the dried out riverbank. Each new shifting of the breeze sent more dust and debris spinning into the air and away down the highway. As if as out of duty to fulfil it's quota of desert stereotypes a lone tumbleweed spun across the sterile landscape. The bank, loosened by the heat, fell in a tiny avalanche of dirt and rocks observed by no one but a passing rodent. The rodent never got a chance to tell any of his little ratty friends however.   
The large metal box which followed the rocks and dust rather put paid to that...   
'Squeep!'   
followed closely by squelch…_  


  
The scene oozed with heat, the dry dusty air of the library shimmered and the dust hung in the air like a curtain. The books on the shelves groaned as their centuries old bindings of skin and wood expanded and contracted as the heat and shade shifted position throughout the day.   
'Alice, it's not…' Giles paused to choose the word with care. _'Seemly'_.   
'Bugger seemly'. Alice's voice floated up from beneath the desk across the room. 'It's too hot to be upright'.   
Giles winced at Alice's rather forthright turn of phrase and attempted to seek refuge in the text he was studying.   
'It's that bloody woman's fault'.   
Giles looked up once more from the knowledge of the ancients to respond to Alice's disembodied voice. 'Which, bl… Which woman?'   
'Barbie.'   
Giles rubbed his eyes wearily, it was going to be another long, long day. 'Alice, I don't think even you could argue that it is reasonable to blame Mrs Summers for the weather.'   
'Well _you_ wouldn't.'   
_'Alice._'   
'Well why won't she give me a key?'   
Giles rolled his eyes in silence.   
'If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be stuck here with you all day. No offence.'   
'None taken Alice,' Giles shook his head indulgently. 'None taken.' He paused to take a sip of water and fan himself with a nearby document. 'Alice, it was very nice of Joyce to let you live with them anyway."   
"My flat exploded!"   
" Look Alice I'd find it a damn site easier to talk to you if I could see you.'   
'I'm not getting up, it's cool down here'  
Not for the first time Giles silently cursed the stray paperclip which had led to Alice's discovery of the area of comparative coolness beneath the desk.   
'How do you cope in this heat anyway Squirrel?'   
Giles watched in fascination as a disembodied hand raised itself to take a glass of water from the opposite desktop, before retiring to the darkness beneath. 'Well, I don't hide under my desk.'   
'Oh no you wouldn't would you, you're Mr bloody perfect.'   
_'Alice.'_ 'For God's sake Giles. You are not my father!'   
Giles smiled to himself, having older siblings had taught him that to _really_ annoy someone, sometimes all you needed was a sensible voice.   
'I'm only four years younger than you are. And who qualified first?'   
'Alice, we qualified in the same year. You got your diploma first because they gave them out alphabetically.'   
'Still first.'   
'Oh act your age.'   
They sat in silence, save for the occasional _'flick, flick'_ as Giles turned over the heavy parchment pages of the ageless tome before him, and the _'tuggger, tugger, tugger'_ as Alice tried to use the latest copy of 'Watcher Watch' as a makeshift air conditioner.   
_'Squirrel.'_   
Giles began to note down a particularly interesting passage, and idly wondered whether there actually was blood dribbling from his ears or whether it just felt like it.   
_'Squirrel.'_  
'What! What is it?'   
'I'm _bored.'_   
'Well I must say Alice I'm glad you told me that, I never would have guessed on my own.'   
'You don't have to be like that, I just wondered if you wanted any help.'   
Giles now, felt guilty. He frowned as he realised the fact that although Alice had driven him to distraction all day, he now felt cruel for snapping at her. 'I, truly don't need any help Alice. I'm just going through the Ruthian prophecies again.' Giles placed a finger on the page to mark his place. 'Aren't you supposed to be Observing Wesley anyway?'   
'Oh but he's so _dull._ He never does anything.'   
A tiny smile rose to Gile's lips. 'Would it be too cheap a shot to point out…'   
'Yes Squirrel. It would. Did you say Ruthian prophecies?'   
'You know them?' Giles removed his glasses and wiped his eyes, grateful at the break from the tiny odd shaped print.   
'Golly, do I know the ruthian prophecies! I can tell you that there's nothing of use to a slayer in there, you were looking for slayer prophecies weren't you?'   
Giles bit back the sarcasm that sprang to his lips. 'Nothing? Do you mind if I ask how you know?'   
'I made a study of them, I had a lot of spare time about, ooh, three years ago. When I was in Israel.'   
Giles closed the book wearily and rested his head on his hands. 'Touring the desks of the Middle East were we? Or working on the IKEA kibbutz perhaps?'   
'Don't be bitter Squiz.'   
Giles shook his head and rose from his seat, 'You can't stay down there all day.' He carefully replaced the book among the others on the shelves and turned towards the desk serving as Alice's heat shield. He took a glass of water from the jug and began to drink. 'You know that we should be drinking iced tea. That's all that they think we drink.'   
'Can't stand ice tea. Revolting substance.'   
Giles smiled to himself. 'Buffy and her friends will be back with a fan soon, will you get out from under there then at least? After all it wouldn't do if Willow saw you crouching beneath the desk. It could remove the dignity from witchcraft forever for her.'   
'I'm not 'crouching'. I'll have you know I'm lying flat out.'   
'We've got the fa… _Geez_ it's hot in here.' Xander reeled back from the dry baked heat which greeted him inside the library.   
Buffy put a placating hand on his shoulder. 'Why don't we set this fan up hey?'   
'The Fan!' Alice peered over the surface of the desk.   
It's no wonder that the heat was getting to her. Tweed, whilst a fine fabric for Oxford, Paris, Berlin and a number of other temperate climates, Is not best suited to a California summer. The permanent curtain of hair which covered her face lay lank and still.   
'I don't even want to know what you've been doing'. Xander sat down heavily at the main table and plugged in the fan causing a cooling breeze to shift the air around the library.   
'Do try and stretch your mind beyond the base occasionally Xander.' Giles placed a new jug of water on the table and poured Xander a glass.   
'But it's fun down here'. Xander took a long gulp from the glass and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.   
'Gosh, 'Alice struggled to her feet. 'I've been waiting for this all morning.' She stood in the main stream of air issuing from the fan with her head leant back like a dog with it's head out of the window. 'Woohoo.'   
_'Ok.'_ Buffy stared at what was, to be honest, quite a spectacle. 'So what have we been doing while I was out shopping with Gutter boy here?'   
Xander raised his arms lazily. _'Gutter boy in da house.'_  
Giles paused as he took another book from the shelves. 'Um, is Willow with you Buffy?'   
'She's just behind us. Her and Oz are, _you know…_' Buffy smiled as Willow and Oz entered the library.   
'Willow'. Giles suppressed a smile as he acknowledged Willow and Oz's arrival with a nod.   
'Muchos smoochos for el con_kiss_dador!' Xander as usual suppressed nothing.   
Willow blushed a little and grinned. 'So, anything happen while we were at the mall? No unnatural sights the like of which man was not meant to see?'   
'Apart from Alice?' Xander ducked as he received a good-natured clip round the ear from an air-cooled watcher.   
'No, um, as erm, The heat seems to be slowing everyone down. It, um it's almost peaceful.' Giles scratched behind his ear distractedly and sat at his desk. 'It's rather restful to be honest.'   
'Oh, Oh!' Xander leapt to his feet, 'and you say _I_ jinx things?' He waved a finger at Giles. ' That is pure jinx. If this was a war movie, he'd be telling us about his wedding plans now.'   
Giles shook his head. ' Mr Harris, Restful has a different meaning on the hellmouth. There's still a vampire nest in East Sunnydale, and someone is breeding Franklinn's demons, but there's nothing particularly _outré._' Giles rolled his eyes as he realised that the group were no longer listening and turned to see what had caught their attention. 'Wesley?' Oz raised a laid back hand. 'Wait, wait.' He waited until he had everyone's attention and raising his hand to his mouth he cleared his throat. ' The plane! The plane! '   
Wesley blushed a deep and glowing red, which combined with the startling whiteness of his new suit, caused him to bear more than a passing resemblance to a vanilla sundae with a cherry on top. 'Well, it may be a little 'summery' but I hardly think…'   
'Oh, oh!' Xander bounced up and down excitedly. 'The man from Delmonte he say- _give me my suit back ya freak!'_   
Buffy spoke carefully through the side of her mouth. 'Giles, Why is Wesley dressed as Colonel Sanders?'   
'I really don't think that…'   
'New suit Wes?' Alice grinned. 'Lucky you'.   
'I didn't think it was that bad,' Wesley frowned introspectively. 'I thought it was quite…' he trailed off.   
Giles gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder, 'Congratulations Wesley. You've managed to provoke three pop culture references in as many minutes.'   
Wesley sat at the table and fanned himself gently with his hat. 'The salesgirl said it was the classic Englishman abroad look. She said that I was the only man she'd seen all day who could even think about it.'   
'He wasn't ever in the army you know.'   
As a conversation opener, even from Xander, this was a little odd.   
'The colonel, he was never in the army.'   
They breathed a sigh of relief.   
'He was just an Indiana farmboy, then governor Ruby Laffoon made him an honorary colonel in the forties and he started playing up the southern gentleman image, so you see,' Xander paused and tilted his head knowledgeably, 'the name came after the chicken'…  
'Xander?'   
'Will?'   
'You should eat more fresh food.'   
Giles blinked heavily. ' Ruby Laffoon?' His eyes glazed over momentarily. 'No, no don't tell me I don't want to know.' He took a tissue from his top pocket and dabbed delicately at his forehead. 'Buffy, I think that if you can try to get some more information about those Franklinn's demons, and, well, if information is unforthcoming just try to kill a few.   
Willow, Xander, There's really nothing urgent I need you for, you can... you can go and eat chicken if you want.   
Alice, I'm sure that Buffy will lend you her house key if you want to have, a, a shower or something, and Wesley.' Giles paused. 'Do you own any other summer clothes?'   
'I have a cricket blazer and…'   
Giles rolled his eyes wearily. 'Wesley just go and eat chicken with those two'…  


_  
That night it rained.   
Rained however seems not to do justice to the meteorological warfare that was enacted that night. The thunder rolled and the lightening flashed, obese, swollen, raindrops exploded into the dust in the streets and highway. The rain beat a ceaseless tattoo upon the roofs of Sunnydale, waking the sleeping and giving some sort of percussive soundtrack to the insomniac.   
And still it rained.   
The rain streamed into the gutters, debris buried deep in the drains floated to the surface and was carried down the street. Flushed from their hiding places a group of Sunydale's over-confident vampires ran confused and disorientated through the streets. Unused to the strain, the stormdrains of Sunnydale started to burst.   
And still it rained.   
The river began to fill once more. First a layer of mud and then the dark swirling water. The rain fell hard on the riverbed, a rodent, possibly the brother of the first, sheltered within the honeycombed earth of the riverbank and watched as the raindrops hit the metal box, steaming and boiling as they wore away the rust.   
The water around it began to hiss and bubble, it swirled in dark and forbidding patterns, independent of the rivers natural tides and currents. The rat drew deep within it's hole, it's hair plastered against it's back, and shivered... _  


  
The rain falls upon the just and the unjust, and at this precise moment it fell upon Buffy Summers.   
'Stupid demons tell me what to slay stupid watcher, stupid Giles, stupid rain.' Buffy stood at her door and struggled with the key. 'Stupid key, doesn't know what I by now.' The key fell from her hands as a tremendous sneeze racked her frame.   
'Oh my! Buffy come in out of the rain.' Joyce Summers ushered Buffy into the kitchen. 'What have you been doing?'   
_'Mom.'_   
'Oh yes.' Joyce rolled her eyes. 'Slaying.'   
'It's not like, a hobby mom.' Buffy gratefully accepted the cup of coffee that her mother had made.   
'Why can't my daughter just work at the Gap?' Joyce perched at the breakfast counter and began to sip her own coffee.   
Buffy smiled. 'Would you worry any less?'   


_Something woke. The water was seeping into the vessel and awakening what was sealed within. They became aware..._

  
'You had better go to bed young lady. You've got school tomorrow.' Joyce put the empty coffee cups into the sink. 'I'll wash these up tomorrow morning.'   
'Well mom I'll…'   
'VAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHHHH'  
'Aargh, Bugger me sideways!'   


THUD

  
Buffy and her mother leapt to open the door. On the doorstep was a small swearing pile of tweed. 'Alice are you alright?'   
Alice stood blinking in the darkness. 'What, what just?'   
Buffy's mother opened the curtain and gaped out of the window. 'What was it Buffy? All I saw was a flash of light and that _noise.'_   
'Oh than' God. I thought it was the DT's.' Alice sat dripping at the kitchen table, she ran her hands over her face. 'I have no idea what that was.' Alice began to drink Joyce's coffee. ' But it gave me one up I don't mind telling you.'   


  
_They were bored.   
The rat had been fun for a while, but rats don't think of much, and certainly not enough to keep all of them entertained. But now they'd got the feel of things again after so very long, there was nothing to hold them. Especially with all this wonderful liquid.   
_

  
'Morning Alice,' Giles shrunk down into the warmth of his coat. 'Headache?'   
Alice shot smoke from her nose in silence. She brandished the cigarette in Gile's face. 'This is my last Rothmans. I haven't had any breakfast, and I have been standing here since 6 am.'   
'You don't have to leave so early.' Giles unlocked the library and opened the door, taking care to wipe his boots on the mat. 'Wesley doesn't usually get here until at least nine'.   
'I couldn't stick it any longer.' Alice placed a fresh cigarette between her lips and lingered outside the door. 'She's so bloody _twee._' Alice took a drag on her cigarette. 'And she makes me smoke outside.'   
'Well so do I.'   
'Yes but not in your house,' Alice paused, 'Wait, a minute I'll rocket this and then I can come in.' She sucked on the cigarette causing the flame to race down he length of it before discarding the dog end.   
She ground the stub beneath her heel. 'She doesn't like me. But she won't just come out and _say_ it.'   
'Poor baby,' Giles caustically, ' Come inside and I'll make a pot of tea.'   


_  
And again it rained. They raced among the main streets of Sunnydale, knocking over shopping here, spoiling meat and fish there. There was no market, that confused them, they felt stifled. Where was the livestock to set free? The milk to sour and the grain to spill? Sunnydale was no fun anymore. They let themselves be carried by the current. Let the will of the liquid take them to…  
The school.   
_

  
'Mr Harris?' Stirgiss the science teacher paced the room. ' Would you like to show us how to make the first incision?'   
'Me? I, I. You never ask me to show anything.'   
Stirgiss glared at him from the front of the class, Xander blushed as his classmates began to giggle. 'Well, Mr Harris. I'm asking you now.'   
'I, I can't he, it ran away.'   
'It ran away?' Stirgiss took a deep breath. 'It ran away?'   
'Before I could chloroform it sir.' Xander placed his textbook against his bag to hide the rat's exploratory sniffs. 'Those rats are cunning sir aren't they?'   
'Mr Harris, sit in the corner. You are going to dissect a houseplant.' Stirgiss watched as Xander moved his bag to the lone desk in the corner. 'And Mr Harris. Prepare to spend your afternoon in the library.'   
'2:40 as usual sir?'   


_  
So many people, Oh joy.   
They threw open the cubicle doors in the girls toilets, they let loose the turtles in the science lab. In the cafeteria they switched sugar and salt, cornstarch and soap flakes. They made patterns in the butter and flooded the floor with raisins. They jammed the soda machine again and again before giving them all out at once. They snatched food from people's mouths and smashed drinks before their puzzled eyes. It was fun, but they tired of such puerile mischief.   
They headed for the library.   
_

  
'Stay here until four Harris.' Stirgiss turned to Giles. 'Mr Giles, would you mind if Mr Harris helped you until four? I have to go.'   
'No, no I don't mind.' Giles pursed his lips as he realised he was talking to the empty air. Stirgiss having already left. 'After all, why would I, I have no life. I just live to nursemaid your disruptive students.'   
'Don't go schitzo on me G.' Xander stared at Giles who was after all talking to no one.   
' I do not intend to 'go schitzo' on you Xander, I just… _Quickly_ put something under that leak!'   
Xander placed an open Big Gulp under the steady drip. 'The roof leaking?'   
Giles closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'Should I even bother answering that?'   


_They paused in the corridor; the startled janitor returned to find his mop and bucket filled with frogspawn.   
They moved on._

  
'Does this school have a history of poltergeists?' Alice entered the library, scratching her head in mild bafflement.   
'We had an invisible girl once.' Xander looked up from his book. 'Why?'   
Alice sat down heavily. 'Something opened all the cubicle doors in the ladies. Stopped me from going I'll tell you.' She searched distractedly through her handbag. 'Gosh, whose rat?'   
'Thurgood!' Xander clasped the wriggling creature to his chest. He scratched the loose fur behind it's neck. 'We were saved from being cut into little tiny pieces weren't we?'   
'We were?'   
'Well, he was.' Xander placed his new friend in his shirt pocket. 'I mean, I have been. Just not today.'   
'Quite,' Giles stood by the table. ' Alice, we have a staff conveniences through the office if you want to...'   
'Lord yes, my back teeth are floating.' Alice rose from the table. 'Squirrel, why don't you make a cup of tea while I'm gone?'   
Giles rolled his eyes and replaced the big gulp cup with a vase. ' A woman's work is never done.'   


_In the shadows they laughed…___


	2. Deluge

  
**TITLE: **Deluge  
**AUTHOR: **clarrie  
**DISCLAIMER:** Obviously don't own Giles, Wesley, Buffy and the Scooby gang. Alice Boston and others are mine, most of the info about watchers and the watchers council was made up by me and is based on my interpretation of it as an institution.  
All witchy stuff made up by me and bares little resemblance to say, Wicca or any of the other old faiths.  
Lines taken from 'Vicious' By Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground.  
**RATING: **about a 12 or PG13, some swearing and innuendo but no orgies or misuse of small furry animals   
**SPOILERS: ** mild up to mid season 3, but as if faith and the mayor had not existed and Anya and Xander had got together earlier. Does include Wesley character though.   
At the time of story Oz had ginger hair.  


  
'Xander, do you want tea?' Giles rubbed his throat, maybe he was coming down with a cold. His voice sounded odd inside his head and his back really ached. He rubbed the small of his back with the palms of his hands. 'Xander?'   
Xander held Thurgood up to his face. 'Kissy kissy.' He watched his wrigly little nose and his little pink ears. 'Who's my little baby? You are, yes you _are._' He sighed.   
'Xander, I made you some tea. I know that you didn't say that you wanted any but…' Giles looked up from the tea tray. His jaw dropped, followed closely by the tray.   
Two high screams split the air.   


_This was fun…_

  
Alice tore out of the office. 'What? What's wrong? Oh Gosh.' Alice stared at Giles and Xander, 'Is there something you'd like to tell me?'   
'I, I, I, I Don't,' Giles stuttered. 'What happened?'   
'You're women.'   
'Did you do this? Change us back. Now. Alice, I'm not joking.'   
'You think I did this?' Alice laughed. 'If I could do this Squiz I would have done it before now.' She looked introspective for a moment. 'Gosh I'd be doing it every time I was a bit bored to be honest.'   
'I can't let any of the students see us like this!'   
'As the dean said to the actress… I'm joking, I'm joking' Alice chuckled quietly. 'I'll lock the door'.   
'What are we going to do?' Xander broke out of his shock induced silence. 'I mean what, No, this is too Weird Science. This is like the Kenan and Kel version of the hellmouth.'   
'Giles? Is there anyone in there?'   
Alice turned to the door. 'The library's closed.'   
'It's me, Buffy.'   
'You had better let her in Alice. She'll have to find out at some point.'   
Alice opened the door, 'What will I have to find out, is it bad? What happened?' Buffy entered the library followed by Willow and Oz, and behind them Cordelia. 'Ewwww… What is wrong with you freaks!'   
'Giles? Xander? Something we should know?'   
'Well that's the second time we've heard that joke today.'   
'What happened? I mean assuming this wasn't a personal choice thing?'   
Giles glared at Willow who was giggling. 'I don't find this in the least amusing'.   
Oz strolled around the table. 'Giles you are _stacked._'   
'Stacked?' Alice, laughing, bent and whispered into Gile's ear.   
'Oh for God's sake!' Giles crossed his arms self consciously across his chest and scowled.   
'We've got to do something, I can't be a woman. I had a date with Anya on Friday.' Xander rested his head in his hands. ' Living on a hellmouth really sucks.'   
'There, there.' Willow patted his shoulder affectionately. 'You have very nice hair.'   
'Nice hair?' Xander's face fell. 'That's chickspeak for _cow_. I'm a cow aren't I?'   
Buffy bit her lip. 'Honestly?'   
Xander nodded  
'A bit. Yeah.'   
Xander rested his head on his arms. 'I'm not even pretty…'   
'You're stacked as well Xander.'   
'I don't think appearances are really the first thing we should be worrying about just now.'   
'Anyway.' Alice paused. 'You both look much as you did before, only with long hair and bosoms'. She smiled. 'Speaking of which, Squirrel we have to get you in a skirt dear, you look like a pre-war lesbian…'  


_They chattered and spun in the darkness of the deserted library. This was much more fun than the market._

  
'Explain to me again what we're doing?'   
Giles and Xander huddled inside the doorway glaring shiftily about them. Their hair was soaked from the rain and they were stooped from the discomfort of their brand new acquisitions. 'I'd much prefer just to go home.'   
Alice hastily finished her cigarette. 'It's all very well for you to say that Squirrel dear you live alone, but what about Xander? I'm quite sure his family would be, well, startled I think is a good starting point.'   
'Oh!' Willow hand flew to her mouth. 'You can't go home Giles.'   
'What, why can't. I'll do what I want. I'm my own man, woman, _Man_ damn it.'   
'You live in the same building as Mrs Goldman. It'd be all around the school that you were cutting class to dress as a woman.' Buffy smiled, 'Looks like we'll be welcoming two more members into the Summers house of freaks.'   
She opened the door and they tramped sullenly into the lounge. Mrs Summers stared. 'Giles? Xander? Something you'd like to….'   
'Was men, women now, long story, hate life.' Xander slumped on to the sofa. 'And for the record Joyce although that's the third time that we have heard that joke I still fail to see the humour in the situation'…  


_As darkness fell the rain still lashed against the houses of Sunnydale.   
To the residents born and bred in the dry sunshine of the small Californian suburb it was an unprecedented monsoon, a flood no less devastating than The Flood. They drove carefully along the waterlogged roads, shut themselves in their warm dry houses and listened to the ceaseless drumming of the rain…   
Flushed from their hiding places in the sewers and tombs, the vampires of Sunnydale shivered in the cold and damp, vulnerable during the day, cold and hungry during the night, they clung together. Wet, Cold, hungry and angry …   
_

  
If this were a film the following would be a montage scene of Xander and Giles trying on various grossly unsuitable styles of female clothing, set to a jaunty if rather literal pop song, possibly 'Vogue' by Madonna or 'Fashion' by the pet shop boys.   
But this isn't a film, it's fan fiction, so all you need to know is that Giles is now wearing a heavily altered tweed skirt suit borrowed from Alice whilst Xander is resplendent in a pair of Willow's jeans and a delightful figure hugging woollen top of Cordelia's, Bra and pants for both were supplied by _'Inner things'_ of Sunnydale mall.  
'Well, what's the feminine form of Rupert?'   
Alexandra (My friends call me Xandy) frowned in concentration. 'Ooh! Petra.'   
'Perhaps, if I had been turned into a two dollar hooker.'   
'Miaouw.'   
'Miss Summers this not a joke, and frankly I think that my choice of name is not the most important matter at hand.'   
'Janet?'   
'No, God, can't you come up with anything that doesn't sound like a…'   
'Gillian!' Willow smiled, 'That's the feminine of Giles I think, that kind of you suits you.'   
Giles frowned. ' I cannot understand the need for a feminine name, I personally do not intend to let anyone see me like this, and I can't see why I shouldn't continue to be addressed in the same manner by … It's not funny!'   
Mrs Summers entered the lounge carrying the telephone. 'Willow, It's your mom. She say's 'what time is it that you intend to get home, as they've been waiting for an hour and she wants to know whether to freeze your dinner or not.'   
Willow's hand flew to her mouth. ' I was meant to be home at eight!' She turned to leave, 'Bye Mrs Summers, Buff, Bye Alice, Bye Xand. Good luck Gillian.' She giggled helplessly. 'Sorry. Oz do you want to drive me home?'   
Oz and Willow left in a pair, a delicate balance of helpless giggling and ironic detachment.   
'That reminds me, Xander? Shouldn't you give your parents a call?'   
'MmmmMmmHblmmm, Mrs Summers.' Xandy put down her sandwich. 'I'll do that now.'   
'Yes, we have to think of a plausible excuse. Now what would Mrs Harris find a believable reason for Xander leaving home for a few days?'   
'Hi mom, it's me, Xander. Alexander, Your son? No, your youngest son. I won't be home for a few days ok? Ok bye.' Xandy put down the phone and picked up his sandwich.   
'Gosh.' Alice grinned. 'Well that's sorted.'   
Mrs Summers yawned. ' Alice, I'm not going to pretend I understand all this, but I'm beat. Do you want to figure out the sleeping arrangements?' She blinked heavily. ' I'm going to hit the hay.'   
Alice turned to Xandy and Gillian, ' Loathe as I am to chuck in at such an unsociable hour, I personally wouldn't send a dog out in this weather. So we might as well catch some Z's.' She thought for a moment. 'Squirrel. You can take the camp bed in my room,'   
'And I'll bunk up with my gal pal Buffy here.' Xandy gave Buffy's shoulder a, well we'll call it a friendly squeeze and leave it at that.   
'No you won't dear you'll sleep on the sofa in the front room…'   
Muttering darkly on the subject of bossy, suspicious minded, Englishwomen, Xandy curled up on the sofa in the Summers front room. He fed small chunks of left over sandwich to Thurgood, until, eventually, sleep claimed him.   


  
_A cold wind blew through Sunnydale, sweeping the rain in sheets against the undersides of the bridges and overhanging rocks in which they had sought shelter. Trapped in Sunnydale by the now flowing water of the Sunnydale river the vampires fumed in their homeless state, clustered together around flaming braziers and haphazard campfires they tried to dry out their ragged clothing and cold bodies.   
A figure watched from the shadows. He had known, he had waited, and now the time had come. He breathed deeply, more out of habit than necessity, and fingered the pendant which hung around his neck. A dark wood crucifix, given to him some three hundred years ago he had broken it in two to destroy it's shape rather than give up wearing it. Few people noticed that it was incomplete, and even fewer were told of it. He closed his eyes in anticipation and stepped forward.   
_

  
'Squirrel? Are you awake?'   
'No.'   
'There's no need to be like that.' Alice lay silent in the dark for a moment. 'It's a bit like being back at school this isn't it?'   
'A little.'   
'Sharing a room with someone else. Some one you aren't… Well.'   
'Sharing a bathroom was the worst.'   
'Gosh yes.'   
'Prep.'   
'Hmm. Wasn't all bad though.'   
'Camaraderie on the playing fields.'   
'Midnight feasts.'   
'Learning the traditions.'   
'Sneaking out after lights out and cycling to the RAF base in the next village.'   
Gillian lay silent in the darkness for a moment. 'You had quite an adventurous girlhood didn't you Alice?'   


_  
'People!' The crowd of vampires turned towards him and growled angrily. 'Listen to me.' He stood exposed before their enraged stares. 'Nothing happens without a reason brethren, and I have come to tell you that there is a reason for our suffering. You might not want to hear what I tell you, but that does not prevent it from being true brothers. We have lived alongside, No…' He slammed his hand down upon the crate. 'Beneath, man for too long. We have allowed ourselves to become lazy, we have told ourselves that to snatch one or two among a crowd of hundreds is enough, We have become weak.' He buried his face in his hands. ' Oh I hear you scoff brothers, I hear you tell me that you are not less than those who sired you' He lowered his voice.' But if that is true- WHY ARE YOU HERE!' He spat the words with venom. 'Why are you here? You crowd together like a litter of kittens separated to early from their dame, you shiver and moan from hunger WHY?' He hissed through his teeth, 'Why are you not inside their homes, feeding on their young?' The silent crowd followed his every word and movement. He paused for a moment and basked in their adoring hush. 'Because you are afraid' He spoke in a hoarse whisper.   
' Because you cannot even trust your own any more.'   
He watched a murmur of agreement spread across the crowd. 'Brethren, we have been betrayed. But we will be avenged.' He spread his arms wide. ' You ask me how we can become strong again Father? And I will tell you.' His voice rose over the excited chatter of the crowd. 'There must be a sacrifice. The Angel of death must be destroyed…'   
_

  
'Wakey, wakey. Hands off, oh well you haven't got … But hands on socks anyway.' Alice threw open the living room curtains. 'Just because you're not going to school, you needn't think I'm letting you sleep in all day.'   
Xandy groaned and twisted deeper into the blanket. 'Don't wanna…Oof.' Alice, unused to the finer points of rousing a teenager from sleep, had taken the initiative and kicked him from his sofa based slumber.   
'Come on sleepy. We're going over to Wesley's.'   
'What?'   
Alice secured her rain hat to her head with further hair pins. 'Well we can't stay sulking around here all day, and I'm jolly sure that Squirrel can't go to the library.'   
'But I…'   
'Come on you two, Willow's said she'll research for us all morning. So let's get over there.' She grabbed her handbag. 'Come _on_.'   


  
Wesley's apartment was small and cramped. By far the greater part of his décor seemed to be from the sparse and functional school of interior design favoured by students and lone males throughout the world. From a nail in the wall hung a scarf in his university colours and on a sofa in an unexciting shade of green sat two grumpy and involuntary transsexuals.   
'So why are they, I mean, that is assuming it's not a personal…'   
Gillian glared darkly at Wesley. 'Do you know that joke just gets funnier and funnier.'   
'Ignore 'em Wes.' Alice cleared a space on one of the multi-functional pieces of furniture and sat down, thus ensuring that at least one of it's functions was a seat. 'He doesn't know why they're like that and it's driving him mad.' She sifted through her handbag and drew out a packet of cigarettes. ' Gosh, 'Clouds'. These'll whiff the place out.' Lighting up she turned to the group. 'Young Willow is researching as we speak, She'll get something on it I'm sure. Soon too I bet, In fact I bet you all a fiver that she'll come knocking on that door in less than a minute.'   
There was a knock at the door.   
_'See.'_  
'You saw her through the window didn't you Raleigh.'   
Wesley squeezed through the crowd in his tiny living room space, the door opened inwards, crushing him against the wall. 'Miss Rosenburg, erm, Oz.'   
'Hi, Alice, Xandy, Gillian…' At which point our old friend Mr Helpless-Giggle returned to the scene, 'I'm sorry you just … I'm not used to … With the….'   
'Is Buffy with you Willow?' Gillian had perked up slightly at the sight of his one competent researcher and even the constant hilarity with which Willow was greeting his current state could not bring him down from the giddy heights of 'not actually wanting to chew his own leg off' which he was currently occupying. 'Did you inform her of our whereabouts?'   
'Inform her of our whereabouts, Gosh, you can't just say did you tell her we were at Wesley's'  
'I think you'll find that I actually used less words Alice.'   
'Well, mine were shorter…'   
'Children, children…' Xandy motioned for order, 'Enough with the bickering. I think when it gets to the point where I'm occupying the post of silent sensible one we're all in trouble.'   
'He's right.'   
'Oh thanks…'   
'Buffy's not with you Willow, we can all see that by now. Do you have any idea where she may be?'   
'Buffy? Oh she's with… She took a different route.'   
Willow gasped as Angel appeared silently behind her, 'We came in through the basement.'   
Buffy appeared soaked and unsmiling beside him. She removed her shoe and emptied it onto the floor. 'It was flooded.' She wrung her hair out into the sink and pointed at Angel who was hovering in the doorway. 'You have to invite him in Wesley, remember?'   
'Oh, yes, um, that is, please come in.' Wesley stuttered. Angel stepped across the threshold and scanned the room for somewhere to sit. Finding none he stood.   
'So, Willow,' Alice grinned. ' What did you find out?'   


_He gazed at the patch of light, searing through the gap in the brickwork of the tunnel, it glimmered on the dark surface of the water. A minute reminder of the weakness that they were all pray to, the burning touch of light.   
He lay on his pallet of stone consumed with frustration, that even a light as weak as that which was seeping through the clouds gathered above Sunnydale would mean death. Whilst lesser beings walked and talked and …Existed.   
He pressed the mangled crucifix deep into his palm, tonight they would plan and tomorrow ...There would be a sacrifice.   
_

'Nothing?'   
They stared in amazement at Willow. 'You didn't find anything at all?'   
'Oh I found _stuff_ I mean if you type in 'Ocult' and 'sex-change' into a search engine you're bound to find something. But it was mostly illegal and or unpleasant rather than useful.' Willow smiled apologetically. 'I checked a lot of the books as well, but I couldn't find anything relevant. I think it's a catch twenty-two, you don't know what did this so you don't know how to find out about them. Sorry.'   
'Then,' Giles held his head in his hands. 'This is serious, I mean, I, well on the, the one hand no one is, in fact dead. And yet, at least a death has, that is it has in it's favour it is, in fact, fairly easily explained. Whilst spontaneous sexual migration is, of course, not.'   
'That's it,' Alice rolled up her sleeves, a determined look upon her face. 'Wesley, do you own such a thing as a saucepan?'   
'What, what are you going to do?' Gillian looked concerned 'Alice?'   
'I'm calling Kristof.'   
'You, you can't there's no… I mean no one's actually dead it's not…there's not even enough room'  
'Nonsense,' Alice rested her hands on her hips, 'it's obviously driving you mad being in that state, and the odd boy hasn't even mentioned the girl's locker rooms, so I can see that it's affected him deeply.' Xandy shrugged noncommittally. 'We've failed to find a reason for this, so I'm calling Kristof.' She took up a solid stance and held up her arms. 'Wesley, be ready with that saucepan would you?'   
_'Kristof avanti venuto disossate il idle maledite o basterò per voi..'_   
There was a feeling, like that of being in an aircraft while it is taking off, Buffy put her hands up to her temples as the pressure increased, until suddenly, and with an anticlimactic small 'pop'. The rising pressure stopped.   
'Wat! You wan wat? Is bizzy!' In the centre of the room stood, what at first glance appeared to be a small greasy butcher, possibly practising for his eastern European stereotype of the year bid. 'Iss bizzy. Wat?'   
Alice sighed wearily. 'Kristof, you've been wandering the earth since before the days of man. I really do think you could improve your grasp of the English language.'   
'Iss bizzy, with girrrrl.' He chuckled, a liquid, tobacco choked sound that made Sid James sound like a member of the Young Christians association.   
'_Kristof,_ this isn't like the Prague thing is it?'   
'I haff no knowleg of Prague. Posiibly this iss an different Kristof.'   
'I think we can take that as a yes. Lucky for her we called you then.' Alice set her jaw. 'Kristof, we've got a question.'   
'Iss thiss wat I get? This iss the respect of being the demon now? Wat is happen to 'Oh great demon we abjure thee to our cause?' Wat is happen to ' Oh dark lord of the fiery acres give unto us thy knowledge'?'   
'Kristof, do you want a fag?'   
'I chew, where is tobacco and ale and meat?' Kristof looked down at the floor in disgust. _'Where is circle of containment!'_ He made a small hopping movement. 'See, see I jump. Kristof is jumping at peoples. Grr!'   
'Wesley dear.'   
Wesley swung the saucepan down hard on what should have been Kristof's head, Tom and Jerry style, but due to Wesley's nervousness and Kristof's 'jumping at peoples' it was actually more in the stomach region.   
Kristof fell to the floor wheezing horribly.   
'Good work dear.' Alice took the saucepan from Wesley's hands and stood over Kristof brandishing it threateningly. 'We need to know why this has happened to Rupert and Alexander. You're going to tell us, and if you're a good boy you can tell us standing up. How does that suit you?'   
'Wat, wat has happened to these? Jah?' Kristof stumbled coughing to his feet. ' It iss tengu ok. They mischievyous, theys iss basssards.'   
'Language Kristof!'   
' Theys is liking the water. Escaped from box at riffer. OK? Tengu they is liking water always. But do not be feeding them after midnight!' Kristof gurgled happily. 'I joke! I joke!'   
'Tremendously funny it was too Kristof, but can you tell us anything else?'   
'They iss not to worry ok? Tengu haff not big magic. Iss wear off, not a long time. But you gets those Tengu Missus Boston ok? Bassards. Can go now?'   
'Miss Boston if you please Kristof, and yes, you can go.' With a rather disappointing lack of sulphur tinged smoke and flame Kristof disappeared.   
'Well, who buries Tengu at a _river_!' Gillian pursed his lips.   
'Um, what just happened here?' Buffy gave a puzzled frown. 'I mean, was he like 'demon in charge of involuntary sex changes' or what?'   
'Kristof, an almost omnipresent knowledge, unfortunately with no actual intelligence to bind it together.' Gillian snorted. 'One refrains from making an unfavourable comparison to the internet at this point.'   
'I won him in a poker game.' Alice took a drag on her cigarette and stared introspectively at the glowing end. ' I mean, well the person he was bound to before lost him in a poker game. I think, had I known, I would have taken the camel.' She clapped her hands together and snapped back into action. ' So, well, gosh. At least we know who did it now. As the Mother Superior said to the red headed salesman.'   
'So all we can do is wait?'   
'But, you heard him, they have not big magic, that's good right? Right?'   
Xandy stared sullenly at the floor. 'Yeah, well excuse me if I don't immediately break into the happy dance Will...'   



	3. Deluge

  
**TITLE: **Deluge  
**AUTHOR: **clarrie  
**DISCLAIMER:** Obviously don't own Giles, Wesley, Buffy and the Scooby gang. Alice Boston and others are mine, most of the info about watchers and the watchers council was made up by me and is based on my interpretation of it as an institution.  
All witchy stuff made up by me and bares little resemblance to say, Wicca or any of the other old faiths.  
Lines taken from 'Vicious' By Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground.  
**SPOILERS: ** mild up to mid season 3, but as if faith and the mayor had not existed and Anya and Xander had got together earlier. Does include Wesley character though.   
At the time of story Oz had ginger hair.  


  
_'It will not be pleasant.' The Monsignor stood before the babbling crowd of vampires. The fiery light of a dozen burning torches reflected back into his face. 'Tomorrow we must stand as one. We must stand as one against the TREACHERY! We must stand as one against the APOSTATE!' He paused. 'We have suffered this base defilement of our people for too long. But we must not allow ourselves to think that he has grown soft among the company of man. Remember, he was Angelus…'   
A murmur ran through the crowd, The Monsignor smiled coldly. 'There were those among you who were unaware I see. It is understandable, the change wrought upon him has been… profound.' The Monsignor paused, and clasping his mangled crucifix to his chest, he lowered his voice. 'Tomorrow we will face great peril. The slayer will attempt to protect him. I will not lie, many of our number will not return. But those who do will return to a reign of glory, and the sirelings of those who do not will forever wear their name as a badge of honour. The mark of those who died to restore the pride to the vampires of Sunnydale.   
_

  
'I, I, well I won't.' Gillian folded his arms across his chest and glared at Alice. 'It's a stupid idea.'   
'Ooh, will this fit me Cord?' Xandy held up a light blue slip dress to the light.   
'It might, I mean it is like way to big for me, and you really have the face for last year's colour.'   
Xandy gazed blankly at the dress.   
'That's a yes Xan.' Buffy threw over a blue cardigan of her mother's. 'Try this with it.' Xandy smiled his thanks and stepped into the bathroom.   
'Oh come on Squirrel, it'll be fun.' Alice grinned and rifled through her suitcase. 'You need to get out more.'   
'If you don't mind I'd rather just sit in a darkened room until this whole thing is over.'   
'Oh don't be such a baby.' Alice pulled out brown cardigan and flung it at Gillian. 'And let Oz do your hair.'   
Oz and Willow stepped forward. 'Have you thought about using colour?'   
Gillian glared darkly and they advanced no further.   
'Will, um actually Oz too, would you come here for a minute?'   
Willow grinned and pulled Oz into the bathroom with her. She emerged giggling several minutes later.  
Oz poked his head around the door. 'We need razors, wax and bleaching cream. Stat.' He withdrew back into the bathroom, before returning rapidly. 'Cancel the wax...'   


  
'Shaugnessy's?'   
Alice, Xandy and Gillian stood in the glow of the green neon shamrock attached to the bar door.   
'And why not?' Alice grinned and gestured at the still scowling Gillian. 'Would you rather take him to the bronze?'   
They filed dismally into the darkened bar. A pair of speakers on the wall were spewing out mild disco from the early eighties in an effort to inject a little life into the clientele.   
'Woah,' Xandy raised an eyebrow, 'it's where disco came to die.'   
Alice grinned. ' Oh it's early yet, the fun crowd doesn't get here until, oh, - what time is it now?'   
'9.30'  
'9.30 it is then.' Alice pulled them towards the bar and attracted the attention of the barman. 'Nile, Pernod and black over here dear.' She turned to the others. 'What are you having?'   
'G and T, easy on the T.'   
'Sex on the beach please.' Xandy smiled happily.   
'Um, are you absolutely sure?' Alice stared at him in surprise.   
'No, but I've never been girly enough to order one before.'   
Alice shrugged. 'Sex on the beach please then Nile.'   
They took their orders and turned to find a seat at one of the many empty tables.   
'I think it's stupid and I don't know why we're here.' Gillian stared deeply into his drink.   
'Oh, for God's sake Squizz. Think of it as a holiday. This is a celebration of your brief sojourn in the world of tight pants and unusual draughts. Anyway it's Friday night. No self respecting transsexual stays in on a Friday night. S' a well known fact ' She downed her drink. 'So cheer up before I make yeh dance.'   
'Hey, you know if he dances he might…' Whatever the smart remark Xandy was about to make it remained frozen in the air as a familiar figure emerged from the gloom.   
'Bob!' Alice rose from the table and shook Snyder vigorously by the hand.   
'Alice.' Snyder split his face into a rictus grin. 'And how is your lovely sister?'   
'Francis sends her regards.' Alice attempted to put herself between Snyder and the two others, but was too slow.   
'And who are your friends, They look…'Snyder stared at Gillian. 'Familiar.'   
Alice grinned nervously. 'This is um, this is Gillian, she's um.'   
'My brother works at your school,' Gillian took a large mouthful of his drink, 'the librarian.'   
'Ah, Nice to meet you Miss Giles.'   
'_Mrs,_ Mrs DeNiro.' Gillian held out his hand. 'Divorced.' He stared down his nose at Snyder as he shook him by the hand.   
'And this is Alexandra.'   
'Alexandra DeNiro.' Xander grinned and saluted with his glass.   
'I know that face,' Snyder turned to Alice. 'Why do I know that face?'   
'Well Bob,' Xandy addressed Snyder confidently, 'I made my debut in a commercial for 'Soothitt' haemorrhoid cream. But I've recently diversified into Fashion photography and late night cable films. I was in 'Night eyes 12''.   
Snyder blinked.   
'I don't go to your school, that's for sure.'   
Snyder cleared his throat. ' Well, it's been nice to meet you … Miss DeNiro, Mrs DeNiro, Alice, another time yes?'   
Snyder slunk back into the darkness of the bar and Xandy began to giggle.   
_'Mrs DeNiro?'_  
'Well, why should he assume I'm a miss?' Gillian threw his shoulders back and thrust forward his chin. 'I could get a man.'   
Alice giggled helplessly. _'Mrs, Mrs DeNiro… Divorced'_  
'Well…' Gillian pursed his lips sullenly. ' He deserved it. At least I didn't say I was in 'Night eyes 12'. What is a 'night eyes' anyway?'   
Alice guffawed loudly and got to her feet. 'Well, I'm going to get us something from the bar.'   
'Alice! We haven't finished our … Alice.'   
Alice returned grinning. 'Gillian, Alexandra. Meet Lyle, Richie and Phil.' She gestured towards the three men of varying ages that she had plucked from the bar. ' Lyle, Richie and Phil, meet Gillian and Alexandra.'   
'So you're Alice's friend.' The older of the three sat beside Gillian. 'Gillian, that's an unusual name.'   
Gillian glowered blackly. 'I strongly recommend that you return to the bar, and try your tawdry little lines with someone who may be interested.'   
_'Woah._ Angry British Spinster. I bet you're a wow at the parties.'   


  
'Why, Why,  Why….'   
'Deeeeliiiiiiiiiiilllll_laaaaaaaah!'_  
'Badda _badda_ badda boom.'   
Gillian rested uneasily on Alice's shoulders. 'Wassa nex' line?'   
'Dunno…Sing summninging else.'   
Xandy giggled helplessly and attempted an improvised variation on the happy dance.   
'Vicious! You _hit_ me with a, with a…. ' Gillian turned to Alice. 'Line?'   
'Hammer?' Suggested Alice without breaking stride  
'You hit me with a ham_mer,'_ Gillian turned paused with a puzzled expression on his face. 'S'not right?'   
'Restraining order?'   
Gillian screwed up his face in concentration. 'S'flower. You hit me with a flo_wer!_ Yah Do it everything, no, no, no. You do it every … Line?'   
'Month?'   
Alice signalled that they had reached the door. 'Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh' She caught her breath. 'Shhhhhhhhhh. Don' want to wake Mishish Shu…Missush Shumumumum….Mishish Shumumumumum… Buffy.'   
She thrust her hands deep into her pockets and struggled find her door key. 'Here, key… here keysy, keysy, keysy.'   
'Problem?'   
'Bloody keys.'   
'Can't find them?'   
'Haven't got one.' Alice paused as a look of low cunning spread across her face. 'Got a plan.' She put her finger to her lips conspiratorially. 'Shhh!'   
'Plan, plan, plan, plan, plan, plan.' Xandy dissolved once more into giggles.   
'Shhh…Plan.' Alice hushed Xandy and Gillian. 'Plan, MISHUSH SUMUMUMUMUM….. MISHUSH SUMUMUMUM… BUFFY!'   
A bleary eyed Buffy welcomed them as they stumbled giggling through the door. 'That's it, you kids are grounded.'   


_'To tomorrow, to self- respect, To the death of treachery…'_

  
Xandy stirred in his sleep and pulled the blanket higher about him. Xander murmured gently and his dreams turned from Cheerleader try outs and the football team to… Well, Cheerleader try outs and the football team but in a different way…  


  
The pale dawn light spiked through the curtains of the Summers living room. Xander blinked painfully. He ran his hands over his face and felt the early morning stubble rough against his hand. 'Need a shave.' He yawned. 'Need a shave?' His eyes snapped open. 'Yes! Need a _shave!'_ He jumped from his resting place and began to perform the happy dance.   
'I'm a man, I'm a man, I'm a man…' He jumped and executed a mid air pirouette, sliding barefoot along the polished floor of the hallway.   
'I'm a man, I'm a man, I'm a man, I'm a man, I'm…. Standing naked in front of Buffy's mom.'   
Mrs Summers waved nervously.   


  
'Giles said that there had been reports of, like, major vampage near the river.' Buffy sunk deep inside her overcoat. 'The rain flushed them out from the sewers apparently.'   
'Yes?' Angel stood at her side.   
'Well that's what Giles thinks anyway.' Buffy placed a stick of chewing gum in her mouth. ' I can't see any though can you?'   
'Buffy?' Angel pointed over her shoulder. 'Would that be the vampage?'   
From the darkness around the riverbank a mass of vampires emerged.   



	4. Deluge

  
**TITLE: **Deluge  
**AUTHOR: **clarrie  
**DISCLAIMER:** Obviously don't own Giles, Wesley, Buffy and the Scooby gang. Alice Boston and others are mine, most of the info about watchers and the watchers council was made up by me and is based on my interpretation of it as an institution.  
All witchy stuff made up by me and bares little resemblance to say, Wicca or any of the other old faiths.  
Lines taken from 'Vicious' By Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground.  
**SPOILERS: ** mild up to mid season 3, but as if faith and the mayor had not existed and Anya and Xander had got together earlier. Does include Wesley character though.   
At the time of story Oz had ginger hair.  


  
Giles took the glowing ember from the dying fire and lit the small green candles one by one. A russet flame sparked forth from each one and blue, sweet scented smoke suffused the library air. 'Alice.'   
Alice dropped a globule of dark and rich scented oil into the blistering copper burner. 'con questi olii portiamo il thee avanti dalla nerezza dei angoli e dei posti nascondentesi.'   
Giles stepped forward and added a small bundle of dried vegetation to the mix. 'con queste erbe portiamo il thee avanti dalla nerezza dei angoli e dei posti nascondentesi.'   
The mixture ignited and burnt with a violent blue flame. Giles stepped forward and took Alice's hands in his.'Con questa fiamma comandiamo la forma dell' introito di thee.' She echoed his words.   
'Ades Dum.'   
'Obsequor!'   
'Ades Dum.'   
'Obsequor!'   
The dust in the library began to eddy and swirl, forming strange shapes before their eyes.   
'Nel verde leghiamo il thee.'   
'Nel verde leghiamo il thee.' Alice raised her voice in song. Echoing his words as the eldritch figures took form around them.   
'In oro leghiamo il thee.'   
'In oro leghiamo il thee.'   
'Nel colore rosso leghiamo il thee.'   
'Nel colore rosso leghiamo il thee.'   
The figures floated in the air before them chittering and shrieking in panic. Alice and Giles, their hands linked around the burning oils, lifted their arms above their heads.   
'Con l' pontenza di due leghiamo il thee.'   
'Obsequor.'   
'Con l' pontenza di due leghiamo il thee.'   
'Obsequor.'   
The Tengu clawed the air as the words buffeted them into submission.  
'Obsequor.' Alice rose her voice to a bellow. 'OBSEQUOR!'   
Giles began to chant in harmony.   
'Vinculum.'   
'OBSEQUOR!'   
'Vinculum.'   
'OBSEQUOR!'   
'Vinculum.'   
Their voices rose and fell like a tidal force. Merging into one cry as the Tengu began to stretch and squeal, The roar of wind filled the library space as the gibbering creatures were sucked down into the flame, and they were gone.   
Silence filled the darkened library.   
Alice sank to he floor and yawned. 'Got the buggers.'   
Giles picked up the small metal container in which the Tengu had been imprisoned. He put an arm around Alice's shoulder and smiled. 'Theys bassads.'   
They blinked painfully as they lights were switched on.   
Xander stood in the doorway holding an assortment of Buffy's weapons. 'And what exactly has been going on here?'   
Giles stared blankly for a moment. 'What? Oh, oh this?' He gestured casually as if standing barefoot in a darkened library wearing only a grey hooded robe was the new black.   
'Um, _yes this.'_   
Giles removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'It, that is…' He frowned wearily. 'It does occasionally require robes you know.'   
Xander raised an eyebrow archly. 'Yeah, that's what they all say.' Alice giggled. 'We've been performing the rite of Vinculum.'   
'So that's what the kids are calling it these days.'   
'Really Xander, I do think you could try and stretch your mind…'   
'I know, I know. Gutter boy strikes again.'   
'You came here for a reason Xander?' Alice struggled to her feet and slipped on her shoes. 'Or did you just pop by to get tooled up?' She gestured to the pile of weapons that Xander was attempting to balance in his arms.   
'Well, let's just say that the vampires have decided to have a poolside party and they didn't take to kindly to Buffy crashing it, so it's all hands on stakes.'   
'Oh,' Giles composed himself. 'Alice, give Xander a hand with those weapons, I'll... Well I think I had better put some trousers on first.' He grabbed his clothes from the back of a chair. 'But then I'll do something pretty damn Watcher- ish. You just watch me.'   


'Ok, and they want to kill you why now?' Buffy fought off vampires on all sides, but as fast as she was turning them to dust, more were rising to take their place.   
'I think it's because of my soul.' Angel took a swipe at a nearby vampire, turning him to dust. 'Us, the whole soul/Slayer girlfriend deal' Another vampire was dispatched 'But I can't give you any specifics.'   
Buffy wiped her forehead and jumped back as another vampire leapt at them. 'Well you're just Mr brooding mystery aren't you.'   
'It's not my fault.'   
The vampires crowded in on them, herding them into a corner through sheer weight of numbers.   
'Alice, Catch!'   
The vampires turned in the direction of Xander's voice. Distracted from their purpose momentarily they watched as a brightly coloured object flew through the air above their heads.   
'Wahoo!'   
The nearest of the vampires screamed as Alice stood on the bridge and showered the ranks of vampires below her with a stream of Holy water. 'Wahoo!' She pumped the water pistol before firing into the crowd again. 'Eat, um, Water. Drac!'   
Giles shook his head, as he took the more dignified route of stakes shot from a crossbow. 'Buffy!' He called over the crowd. ' Get the Monsignor. He's the leader.'   
'The Monsignor? How will I know who he is?'   
'He dresses in a clerical fashion!'   
'Guh?'   
'All in Black!'   
'Um, Giles?' Xander stood at Gile's side with a crossbow. ' Do you need me to point out that they all….'   
'He wears a broken crucifix!' Giles fired another bolt into the crowd. 'Look for the one wearing a broken cross!'   
Buffy surveyed the ranks of the vampires for the one wearing a cross. 'I can't see him!' She absentmindedly staked another vampire through the heart. 'He's not Hhmmph…' Her sentence was cut off as a large hand was placed over her mouth. The monsignor dragged her up onto the bridge. She felt the acid touch of a knife edge at her throat as the Monsignor held her hands behind her back.   
'People!'   
A great cheer went up from the crowd as the vampires saw who was on the bridge.   
'We have succeeded beyond our wildest dreams!' He brandished the wide eyed slayer before the crowd. 'Angelus! We have the slayer!' He passed Buffy to a large vampire at his side and stepped forward. 'Reveal yourself to my minions.'   
'Who says minions for God's sake?' Alice held the now empty water pistol redundantly in her hands and winced visibly as she realised that she was thinking aloud.   
The monsignor turned towards her. 'Silence HAG!' He raised his arm to slap her face but stopped. Smiling grimly he grabbed her by the collar.   
'Angelus? Do you need proof of our intentions?' He held Alice above the dark swollen currents of the river. ' Say goodbye to your Hag, Slayer. ' The Monsignor loosened his grip and cast Alice into the deep.   
'ALICE!'   
Xander held Giles back from the crowd. 'Buffy comes first, Giles.' He cast his eyes downwards. 'There's nothing you could have done.'   
Giles stared silently at the Monsignor and bit his lip.   
'ANGELUS! Reveal thy self!' The monsignor bellowed into the crowd.   
Angel stepped forward and was immediately gripped by two of The Monsignor's henchmen. One held a stake to his chest.   
'Stop!' The monsignor halted his hand. 'Bring him to me.' The Monsignor took Buffy from his henchmen and held the knife to her throat once more. ' You will watch your slayer die Angelus. As a preparation.'   
Staring into Angel's eyes Buffy saw a reflection which caused hope to leap in her heart.   
The monsignor took the knife from her throat and raised his arm to cheers from the crowds below. 'TO FREEDOM! TO SELF-RESPECT! TO THE DEATH OF TREACHERY.'   
Buffy twisted herself free from his grip and elbowed him in the stomach. 'I don't care from freedom.' She kicked the knife away and punched him on the jaw. 'I don't care from self respect.' She kicked him in the chest knocking him to the ground. 'And I don't care from death to treachery.' She turned as the Monsignor's minions rushed to his aid.   
'Foolish child!' The Monsignor stood wheezing on the edge of the bridge. 'For every one of my followers that you slaughter, a thousand will step forward in their place. The river will yet run red with your….' His impassioned speech was cut short as he dissolved into a pile of dust.   
'Hag _me_ will you!' Alice stood soaked and breathless, her robe stained and heavy hanging to her as she gulped down the night air. She struggled to the centre of the bridge and raised her hands above her head. 'Look upon me vampires of Sunnydale for I am your God!'   
Buffy pulled her to the ground as a hail of hastily carved missiles flew through the air towards them.   
'The Monsignor is dead!' Angel addressed the crowd below them. 'Go from this place before the wrath of the Slayer falls upon thee.'   
The vampires began to scatter, they went mildly as if a spell had been broken, Not even affecting a pretence of bravery.   
Xander and Giles yelled after them taking pot shots with their crossbows 'Go on, _Cowards!'_  
Before long the crowd had scattered completely, Xander and Giles joined the others on the bridge.   
'For _I am your God?'_ Giles smiled at Alice's lack of a sense of self-preservation. _'Really_ Alice!'   
Alice shook herself like a dog and grinned.   
'Why, what is she not human or something?' Xander stared puzzled at Alice, who despite being soaked to the skin and at risk of a severe chill was nevertheless still very much alive. 'I mean, we saw you drown.'   
Alice clasped the locket which she wore around her neck. 'Caul baby.'   
'Baby!'   
'Oh very funny.' Alice snapped open the locket to reveal a dried rust red substance. ' No, I was a caul baby. Born with a caul. The buggers couldn't drown me if they… Well, I suppose they did try…'   
Xander poked the dried chunk of afterbirth with his middle finger…'What is that thing?'   
Alice told him.   
'Auugh!' He leapt back in revulsion. 'Oh, dear God! What are you Hannibal Lecter? Does it _amuse_ you to make me feel ill?'  


'Gosh Wes, back in grey again?' They sat around the table in the school library. Giles, Buffy, Wesley, Alice, Willow, Oz, Xander and Angel. Alice took a sip of her tea and watched as Thurgood scrambled around the tabletop. 'You'll have to find a home for that.'   
Xander drunk his soda unemotionally. 'Willow's keeping it for me.'   
Willow nodded. 'I already have the cage.'   
Buffy tapped the small metal box in the centre of the table. 'Is this the Tengu you wanted me to bury in the graveyard tonight?'   
'Yes.'   
Buffy picked up the box and inspected it. 'You wouldn't think such a little thing could cause so much trouble.'   
'Indeed.' Giles stood and picked up an armful of books. 'Now let us never speak of it again…'  



End file.
